Educational game apparatus



No. 750,906. PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904. E. L. STEELE.

EDUCATIONAL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 1903.

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PATBNTED FEB. 2, 1904.

E. L. STEELE.

EDUCATIONAL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 4. 1903. NO MODEL. KSHEBTS-SHEET 2.

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' below described.

Patented February 2, 1904.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT L. STEELE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

EDUCATIONAL GAIVI E APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 750,906, dated February 2, 1904.

Application filed November 4, 1903. Serial No. 179,790. (No model.)

To all whom, it away concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT L. STEELE, a citizen of the United States,residing in WVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Educational GameApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a game apparatus of such a character that in playingthe game the players are required to know and remember quickly the namesof the capitals of the clifferent States of the Union, and the game isintended to be instructive to the players, for the reason that the mostsuccessful player is he who is best conversant with the names of thecapitals of the different States.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of mydevice inposition for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken centrallyalong the line of the runway Fig. 3 is a view of one of theplaying-cards removed from the pack. Fig. 4 is a view of the pin or peg.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

(4 represents the bottom, and Z) the side and end walls of a shallow boxor tray, and c is the cover thereof. The cover is provided near one ofits sides with one'or more blocks (Z, which act as props, whereby whenthe cover is reversed the tray may be placed therein in an inclinedposition, as shown particularly in Fig. 2.

Adhesively applied to the upper surface of the bottom a is a sheet 0,upon which is represented a map of the United States with the Statedividing-lines clearly shown, with the name of each State inscribedthereon, and with the location of the capital of each State designatedby a hole which is formed in the bottom a and extends through theportion 6, said hole being indicated in each State in the drawings by acircle. Of course the map of the United States may be drawn on orotherwise applied directly to the bottom, if desired. In addition to theState lines and capitals the course of the Mississippi river isindicated by the dotted line f. On opposite sides of this line there aredriven into the bottom a pairs of vertical posts 9, said pairs of postsbeing arranged at intervals from the northern border of the map of theUnited States to the southern coast at the outlet of the Mississippiriver. The posts on each side of the river are connected by a continuouswire or cord it, so that the course of the Mississippi is fenced in anda zigzag runway is produced along said course. This runway is extendedat 71 to a point south of the coast and is provided with an outlet at kexactly opposite a gong-bell Z, which is secured to the bottom of thebox near the edge, as shown. The upper end of the runway is extended andflared at h, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The upper side wall 6 of the tray is cut away at I), and a rectangularframe or holder m has its ends secured to the inner sides of said wallon opposite sides of and next the opening 6, said holder being raised,as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a space m is left between the lower edge ofthe holder and the bottom of the box. This holder contains or supports avertically-set box or hood consisting of the front wall a, the top a,the bottom a", and side walls n. This box or hood fits into the holderm, and its front wall a is provided at its lower end with a horizontalslot 0, which is coincident with and corresponds in size and shape withthe opening m. Between the uppermost pins g and substantially in linewith them are a pair of vertical stop-pins p, and between said stop-pinsthe bottom a is slightly dented or recessed at a to receive a ball 1"and to prevent it from rolling down the inclined plane produced by theposition of the bottom a on the props OZ.

8 represents a pin or peg, preferably conical in shape'and adapted tofit into any one of the circular holes which indicate the locations ofthe capitals of the difierent States.

Cards 6 are provided of suitable shape to slip into the box or hood n nn" n and of suitable width to .pass through the slots m and 0, each cardhaving inscribed on its surface near its forward edge the name of thecapital of one State. The number of cards therefore corresponds with thenumber of States. 1 r

The preferable manner of playing the game is as follows: The ball 9"having been placed in the hollow or recess a, the cards are shuffled,care being taken that the printed ends are all in the same position. Thecards are then placed on the table faced down. The player at the left ofthe dealer takes in his hands the pin 8. The dealer then takes a cardand inserts its printed end faced down into the box m m m from the rear,so that his opponent cannot see the inscription. The dealer thenreverses the card and slides the printed end of the card through theslots 0 and 721 until the forward edge strikes the ball '1' and knocksit off its seat, the further progress of the card being prevented by thestoppins 1). The ball starts to roll down the incline and is guided bythe portions it into the runway and between the wires 7L, and said ballrolls down through said runway, being partially checked in its progressby the zigzag shape thereof until it emerges at the mouthkand strikesand rings the bell Z. The player having charge of the pin 8 must namethe State of which the name on the card is the capital and must placethe pin in the hole representing such capital between the time when thecard is pushed through the slots and the capital thusexhibited and thetime when theball thus pushed out of its seat sounds the bell. If theplayer is successful, he retains the card; if not, it is discarded. Theplayer winning the largest number of cards wins the game. Any number ofplayers, from two up, can play the game, which may be varied, asdesired, the exact manner of using the game apparatus being capable ofsome modification.

It is evident that the zigzag or irregular course of the runway is animportant feature of the invention, as if a straight runway from thecard to the bell were provided the ball would reach its destinationbefore the opposing player had sufficient time for consideration.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a game apparatus, an inclined surface provided with a map of acountry having several States, the location of the capitals of saidStates being indicated by holes or recesses; a

runway consisting of substantially parallel wires or cords supported bypins or posts and extending in an indirect or devious course over saidmap; and a pin or peg adapted to be inserted in a hole. indicating thelocation of a capital, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a game apparatus, an inclined surface provided with a map of acountry having several States, the location of the capital of each Statebeing indicated by a hole or recess; a runway extending over said map;means for holding a ball normally at the mouth of said runway, and astructure supported by said surface and provided with a closed wall onthe side next the mouth of the runway, said wall being formed with aslot at its lower end of suitable size to allow a card to be pushedthrough and into contact with said ball; cards inscribed at one end withthe capitals of the various States; and a peg or pin adapted to beinserted into one of said holes, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

3. The herein-described game apparatus, comprising the box-cover 0provided with props (Z near one side; the box or tray Z) provided on itsinner surface with the map of a country having several States and formedwith the indentation a and with holes indicating the capitals of thevarious States; the runway g it extending across the map and providedwith a flared upper end it; the stop-pins 11 located near the upper endof the runway; the holder at supported by the box or tray near the mouthof the runway and provided with the slot m; the box or structure a, n,n", n set edge up within said holder, and provided with the slot 0;aball normally supported by said indentation; a bell at the outlet ofthe runway; a pin or peg adapted to fit into a hole indicating thelocation of a capital; and a pack of cards each bearing a name of acapital inscribed near one edge, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELBERT L. STEELE.

Witnesses:

INA M. FRANK, JAMES GREEN.

